Time-switch.



F. SCHMID, JR.

T\ME SWITCH.

APPUCATION FILED SEPT. 3. 1915.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916 2 SHEETS-SHEET I- @Qooao I. oullmlu, m-

TIME SWITCH. APPUCATION FILED SEPT. 3. 15:5.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 2A HZQQCO FREDERICK SCHMID, J 3., OF PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA.

TIMESWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK ScHMn),

' Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, inthe county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have-invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time-Switches, of which the following is a specification. p

My invention relates to improvements in time switches, the object ofthe invention being to provide a time switch in which the switch and the mechanism controlling the same are all inclosed within a box, and

.are of extreme simplicity, yet most efficient in operation.

A further object is to provide -a time switch having a clock work mechanism to permit the release of the switch, and provide an improved arrangement of spring for turning the clock mechanism, the spring a being put under tension by a lever controlling the position of the switch.

A further objeetis to provide improved means for holding the switch controlling lever, and improved means for releasing the same from its held position. i

A further'object is to improve upon the construction illustrated in Patent No. 1,012,721 granted to me December 26,1911.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described "and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in front elevation illustrating my improved mechanism "in setposition. Fig. 2 is a sectional lan view, the section being takenon the line 2-2 of, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. Li's an enlarged fragmentary detail view illustrating my improved spring for driving the clock mechanism and the parts adjacent'thereto, Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentarv sectional detail view illustrating my improved construction of lever ho d ng mechanism, in looking position. Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentarv detail view illustrating the recess disk operated by the clock mechanism dicates mlnutes,

I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 113 28, 1916. Application filed September a, 1915. Serial No. 48,768.

and the segmental disk cooperating therewith and controlling the operation of the switch operating lever, and Fig. 7 is a f detail view of the parts shown in Fig. 5

illustrating the same as passing into locking position, the parts carried by the arm 31 moving in the direction of the arrow 6.

1 represents a box having a cover 2 preferably made in two sections 2 shown. The lower cover section 2 is made with a circular opening 3, in which a dial 4 is located, and covered by a transparent sheet 5 held in place by a ring 6. The dial 4 at its periphery, contains a scale which inalthough of course the scale may indicate any fraction of time desired, and while my improvements are arranged for timing the switch any fraction of an hour, it is of course to be understood that any length of time may be arranged for as desired.

On the back or inner face of the cover section 2", a clock mechanism 7 is secured. This clock mechanism comprises a train of. gearing having a drive gear 8 at one end, and an arbor 9 at its other end. On the arbor 9, a disk 10 is fixed, and this disk has a recess 11' therein for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. :A'fork 12 is secured to disk 10, and; at its outer end is provided with a short shaft 13 projectoscillating lever, 17 is pivotally supported on the shaft .16. and carries .a spring-pressed pawl 18 which-engages the ratchet wheel 16 and causes the drive gear to turnin a direction to operate the clock mechanism. A rod 19 is pivotallv mounted to the free end of lever 17. and at its free end is made with a cross bar 20. Through openings in the bar 20-, parallel rods 21 project, and are secured at their ends to a bar 23 having a central opening 24 receiving and sliding upon the rod 19. Coiled springs 25 are located around the rods 21 between bars 20 and 23. and when a pull is had upon'the rods 21, the springs are contracted and exand 2 as;

a shaft 15 carrying a ratchet wheel 16., An

art a pull on the lever 17, tending to turn the drive gear 8. The rods 21 are secured to a block 26 connected by a pm 27 with a crank arm 28 on a crank shaft 29. This crank shaft 29 has mounting in an extcn-.

S1OI1 bearing sleeve 30 which is preferably integral with the front plate section 2, and

end is fixed to my ing lever 31.

In the upper end of the box.1, and secured to a block of insulation32, is an ordinary electric switch 33. The switch arm ticular construction of switch, it is unnec The i and-link 36, and'the opposite end of this link'40 is pivotally connected to the crankarm 28 so that the switch arm 34 and switch 34 is engaged by springs 35, tending always to throw the switch to open pos1t1on, and as my invention is not llmitedto any aressary to describe the same in detail. switch arm 34 is connected by a link 36 with a lever 37 the latter pivotally connected to theframe 38 of a clock mechanism. The pivot 39 which connects lever 37 and link 36 also connects a link 40 with said lever 37 operating lever 31 are compelled to operate I in unison.

A pointer 41 is secured to one end of the lever 31, and registers with suitable printed matter on the cover to indicate the position of the switch with relation to the electric current. To hold the lever 31 in a position to maintain the elect circuit closed, I provide an improved'co notion of holding mechanism for the lever which will now be described.

i A rocker shaft42 is supported in suitable bearings oriftheinner face of section 2", I

and at one'end pz 'ojects through a pocket '43; In this pocket on the shaft 42, a fork 44 issecured, and this fork is engaged by a dog 45'pivotally connected to a bracket 46 on the free end of lever 31. The fork is formed with a short arm 42 and a long arm 52, the latter extending outwardly into V the path of the end of the dog 45 when the latter is in any of the positions it may assume. .A"; handle 47 is secured to the free end of lever 31-. and a spring-pressed finger lever 48-is pivotally secured to the bracket 46, and ispositioned beside the handle 47.

Thedog'45" at its lower end is adapted to engage between the members of the fork 44 and at its shorter end is provided with two lugs'49f'and 49 at substantially right angles tofieach, other, both of which at different times engage a shoulder 50 on the lever 48. When the lug 4v is in engagement with said shoulder the .dog is locked against movement in the direction of the arrow (1, but the dog is free to move in the opposite direction except as opposed by a spring 51 secured to the lever 48. Upon moving the lever 48 toward the handle 47, the lug 49 is as released from engagement with the shoulder 50 and the spring 51 moves; the dog until the lug 49 engages said shoulder, the lug 49 thereby reventing the dog from swinging outwar ly too far to engage the arm 52 the dog passes freely the arm 42 but engages the arm 52 and cams inwardly thereon as shown in Fig. 7 until the lug 49 engagesthe shoulder 50. This brings the end of the dog between the arms of the fork and looks it in this position, as shown in Fig. 5, and the parts will be thus held until the fork pivots suiiiciently to release the dog as Will be hereinafter explained. Moving the lever 48 toward the handle will also release the dog as is obvious from the drawing and the above description. The dotted position, therefore, of the dog-indicates the position it will assume when riding into place to be automatically locked, and also indicates the position the dog will assume when the finger lever 48 is operated to manually release the lever at any time desired without waiting for the automatic mechanism. While Fig. 5 shows the holding-position of the fork 44, it must be borne in mind that when the switch is released and the clock mechanism is being held by the cam 55, the fork 44 will be in a position considerably to the right of the position shown in Fig. 5, so that its longer number will receive the end of the pawl 45 andcause the latter to pivot.

The shaft 42 is provided with a crank arm 53 connected by a rod 54 with a segmental disk 55. This disk 55 is supported on a short arbor 56, and is located at right angles to the recessed disk 10 above referred to, and swings in a circle so as to move through the disk 10 and hold the disk 10 against rotary movement. "When in this position, the partsare locked and theclock mechanism can only operate when the segmental disk 55 is swung to a position out side of recess 11. This movement of the segmental disk is brought about by the pressure of the dog 45 against the longer mem ber 52 of fork 44, while the lever 31 is held down in position to close the switch. While the parts are thus held, the clock mechanism can be set as will be here nafter explained, and turn the disk 10 with the pointer 14 thereon so as to move the recess 11'"-out of register with the edge of the segmental disk 55. The disk 55 at its point of contact with disk 10, ismade relativelysharp, so that for convenience of description, I shall refer to the sharp end of the disk as a finger -outer end. A pinion 60 on shaft 58 meshes with a gear wheel 61 loosely mounted on a shaft 62 supported in the frame 38 0f the clock mechanism. A circular plate 63 on shaft 58 and against, pinion 60 overlaps the face of gear 61, and compels the pinion 6O and gear 61 to move inwardly together while a coiled spring 64 on shaft 62 exerts an outward pressure on the gear '61, tending to hold'the same out'of mesh with a pinion onthearbor9. I f

The movement of the lever 31, when the switch is opened, is cushioned bya spring v pressed pivoted block 66 on the plate section 2 so as to relieve the bang 'and jar which would otherwise occur.

- The operation is as follows: To set the mechanism, lever 31 is swung downwardly and through the medium of the crank arm 38, link 40, lever 37, and link 36, operates to press the switch arm' 34 upwardly into its circuit closing position. At the same time, this movement of the crank arm 28 exerts a pull on the rods 21 to contract the springs 25, causing a pull to be had upon the lever 17 to turn the drive gear 8 and the clock mechanism as above described. Any movement of the clock mechanism is, however, prevented because the segmental disk 56 is in the recess 11 of disk 10. A downward pressure on the handle 47 of lever 31 will move the dog 45 against the member 52 of fork 44, causing the shaft 42 to turn slightly and through the medium of the crank arm 53 and rod 54, will cause segmental disk 55 to turn far enough to move the finger 57 out of the recess 11. While the parts are thus held, the operator presses the knob 59 inwardly until the gear 61 meshes with pinion 65, when he can turn the knob 59 and set the pointer 14 as desired on the dial 4. In setting the pointer, the arbor 19 and disk 10 are turned so that recess 11 is moved out of register with the end of finger 57 on segmental disk 55, and when the parts above' described are released, the end of finger 57 will bear against the inner face of disk 10. Springs 25 will operate the clock mechanism, and the pointer 14 will turn on the face of the dial, and when the pointer? reaches zero, recess 11 will be in register with the end of finger 57 and springs 25 and 35 will operate to throw the lever 31 upwardly, and the switch arm 34 downwardly, thereby opening the electric circuit. When this movement takes place, the clock mechanism is stopped a ainst any further move-' I ment byreason o the position of the segmental disk 55 in the recess 11 of disk 10,

and all pressure or strain on the clock meclr' anism'is relieved because the springs 25 are expanded. When the lever 31 swings upwardly, the rods 21 are moved downwardly in a direction to return the lever 17 to its initial position, the pawls 18 riding over the ratchet teeth 16.. It will thus be observed that at every. operation of the lever 31 to close the switch, the springs 25, will be put under tension to operate the clock mechanism, and the lever 31'will be held until the proper time has elapsed, when it will be released as above described and cause the switch arm 34 to open. If,' E-at any time,

it isdesired to open the switch, it is simply. necessary to operate the finger lever 48 to force the dog 45 tothe position shown in' dotted lines in Fi 5, when the lever can be swung upward y and the circuit broken. When the lever is again swung downwardly, the dog will automatically lock in the fork as shown, and the clock mechanism will I gin to run for the unexpired period.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form, and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention, and henceI do not limit myself to the H precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and-alten ations as fairly fall within scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my 1nvention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz 1. In a time switch, the combination with clock mechanism, of a switch having a spring tending to open the same, a lever constructed to move the switch, a catch holding the lever and released by the clock mechanism,

and a spring operating the clock mechanism and put under tension by the lever -when the latter is moved to a position to close-the switch, substantially as described. 2. The combination with an electric switch, of a. clock mechanism, a spring operating the clock mechanism, a lever connected to the spring and to the switch and controlling'the movement of both. and a catch controlled by the clock mechanism and holding the lever in position to maintain the switch closed, substantially as described.

The combination ,with an electric switch, of a clock mechanism, a, spring operating the clock mechanism, a lever connected to the spring and to the switch and controlling the movement of both, and mechanism controlled by the clock mechanism constructed to hold the lever in position to switch, of a spring-pressed lever controlling the position oftheswitchya device holding -'the lever in position to maintain'theswitch closed, a 'clo ck mechanism controlling: the

device, a spring drivingv the, clock. 'me'chas, nism and put under tension-'1 by ,th moveerated v ,ling the operation of the holding device, a.

ment of the lever, and a manually op means carried. by the lever and permitting the release of the lever from.:sa1d holdingdevice, substantially as described, I The combination flwi, h 'an "electric switch, of a lever controlling the movement of the switch, a shaft having afork thereonoperatively engaging'the lever to hold the same in positionfto maintain the switch closed, a spring-held dog engaging theifork and adapted to be manually operated to release the lever, and a 1clockfmechanism controlling the position'of; the fork, substantially as described. a r

6. The combination with an electric switch, ofa lever controlling the movement of the switch, a' shaft having a forkthereon operatively engaging the lever to hold the same in position to maintain vthe switch closed, a spring-held dog engaging the fork and adapted to be manually operated to re lease the lever, a clock mechanism, a recessed disk turned by the clock mechanism, a segmental disk at right angles to the recessed disk and movable into and out of the recess in said disk, a crank arm on the said-shaft, connected to the segmental disk, and a spring tending to force the segmental disk into the recess when in register therewith, whereby the fork is moved to a position to release the lever, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a switch, and a spring tending to open the switch,-of a leveradapted to move the switch to closed position, a device holdingthe lever when the switch is closed, a cloak irrechanism controlling the device to release the lever, an oscillating lever having ratchet and pawl engagement with the clock mechanism and operating'the latter, an elastic means between the said levers put under tension by the movement of thefirst-mentioned lever, substantially as described.

8.' The combination with a switch, and a spring tending to open the switch, of a lever adapted to move the switch to closed position, a device holding the lever when the switch is closed, a clock mechanism controlling the device to release the lever, an oscillating lever having ratchet and pawl engagement with the clock mechanism and operating the latter, arod connected to the ratchet lever and having a cross bar at its 9.- The combination "having a cross bar at their free ends movable on the first-mentioned rod, and coiled springs on the last-mentioned rods between said bars, substantially as described.

7 with an electric switch, of a pivoted lever controlling the 1 movement of the switch, a holding device holding the lever in position to maintain the switch closed, a clock mechanism controlspring driving the clock mechanism and pointer operated by. the clock mechanism and registering with the dial, substantially as described.

10. In a time switch, the combination with a switch, a spring tending to open the switch, and a 'lever adapted to move the switch to closed position, of a device hold ing the lever in position to maintain the switch closed, a clock mechanism controlling the release of the lever, an oscillating lever having ratchet and pawl engagement with the clock mechanism and operating the latter, elastic "means between the said levers put under tensionjby the movement of the v first-mentioned lever, and means for setting the clock mechanism, said means operable only when the lever holding device is in one extreme position, substantially as described.

11. In a time switch, the combination with a switch, a spring tending to open theswitch, and a lever adapted to move the switch to closed position, of a device holding the lever in position to maintain the switch closedra clock mechanism controlling the release of the lever, an oscillating lever having ratchet and pawl engagement with the clockmechanism and operatingvthe latter, a rod connected to the ratchet lever and having a cross bar at its free end with openings therein, parallel rods-operatively connected to the first-mentioned lever projected through said openings and having a cross I bar at their free ends movable on the firstmentioned rod, coiled springs on the lastmentioned rods between said bars, and means for setting the clock mechanism, said means operable only when the lever holding device is in one extreme position, substantially as described.

12. The combination with an electric switch, of a pivoted lever controlling the movemcntof the switch. a holding device holding the lever inposition to maintain the switch closed,ua clock mechanism ccntrolling the operation of the holding device.,a dial, a pointer operated by the. clock mechanism and registering with the dial, a spring driving the clock mechanism, said spring put under tension by the movement name to this specification in the presence of of thelGWBI to close the switch, and means two subscribing Witnesses. for settin the clock mechanism, said means 4 operable Bnly when the lever holding de- FREDERICK SCHMID vice is in one extreme position, substantially Witnesses: as described. CHAs. E. Form,

In testimony whereof I have signed my MARIE JACKSON. 

